Kilbirnie Auld Kirk facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kilbirnie Auld Kirk |
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| 55°44′48″N 4°41′12″W / 55.74667°N 4.68667°W | |
| Denomination | Church of Scotland |
| Churchmanship | Ministers and Elders in C of S |
| Website | Auld Kirk |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Kilbirnie |
| Presbytery | Ardrossan |
The Kilbirnie Auld Kirk is a historic church building in Kilbirnie, North Ayrshire, Scotland. It belongs to the Church of Scotland. The church is located on Dalry Road. The building itself dates back to the 1400s. However, the current church group was formed in 1978. This happened when two local churches, Glengarnock Parish Church and Barony Church, joined together. The old building is no longer used for worship. The church group now meets at the Kilbirnie New Parish Church. This new church is on Glasgow Street.
History of Kilbirnie Auld Kirk
The church was once known as "The Barony Church." This name came from a special land area called a barony. John Craufurd of Kilbirnie received this barony in 1641. The church building stands on a very old site. It was once home to a small monastery from the 6th century.
The town of Kilbirnie gets its name from this church. The name comes from the Gaelic language. Cil (pronounced 'kil') means "church." So, Kilbirnie means "Church of St Brendan." The word "Auld Kirk" simply means "Old Church" in the Scots language.
The Craufurd Tomb
Inside the church is the Craufurd tomb. It holds statues of Captain Thomas Crawford of Jordanhill and his wife, Janet Ker. Thomas Craufurd became famous for capturing Dumbarton Castle. He did this for King James VI. As a reward for his bravery, he received lands near Glasgow called Jordanhill. Thomas passed away on January 3, 1603.
The tomb has an inscription that reads: GOD SCHAW THE RICHT. HEIR LYIS THOMAS CRAUFURD OF IORDANHILL SEXT SON TO LAURENCE CRAUFURD OF KILBIRNY AND IONET KER HIS SPOUS ELDEST DOCHTER TO ROBERT FER OF KERRISLAND 1594. This tells us who is buried there and when the tomb was made.
Architecture and Design
The oldest part of the church is the nave. It was built around 1470. A bell tower with two levels was added about 20 years later. In 1597, extra sections called aisles were built. These were for the Cunninghames of Glengarnock family. More aisles were added in 1642 for the Crawfords. Later, between 1903 and 1905, a transept and a new main entrance were added.
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The viewing window in the 1594 tomb of Captain Thomas Crawfurd of Jordanhill.
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The Crawfurd's tomb with the old Kirk in the background.
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Inscription and Coat of Arms on the Crawford tomb.
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Effigies of Thomas Crawfurd and Janet Kerr.
The church has many beautiful features inside. One of the most impressive is the Crawford Loft. This was built around 1705 and has very detailed designs. Another special feature is the 17th-century sounding board. This is a canopy placed above the pulpit. Many of the church windows are decorated with colorful stained glass.
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A very unusual gravestone bearing a sundial.
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Detail of the sundial's inscription.
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Knox of Place and other memorials.
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The Lord's Loft
The Kilbirnie Auld Kirk building and its cemetery walls are very important. They are listed as a Category 'A' historic building. This means they are of national importance.
See also
